Grave cover



A Oct. l, 1929. G, H, PARKER l 1,730,289

GRAVE COVER Filed Oct. 4. 1927 Y GRP ker", L @D `@5/2/ @3 BY l @T A TTORNE Y.

Patented @et 1, 1929 narran sraras sara ermee GRAVE oovEa Application ned october a, i927. serial No. 223,921.

One common method employed in the burying of the dead in an expensive manner is to dig a grave with a pit. or small'excavation at the bottom, and of a size to snugly inclose the Wooden box which directly incloses the coliln. Between the pit and the larger part of the excavation around the top of the pit is formed a ledge or shelf upon which is ordinarily placed a covering for the box consisting of a layer of boards which. support the earth with which the excavation is filled. Considerable difficulty is experienced in finding boards of cedar Wood or the like material Which Will not easily decay and dump the load of earth upon the coffin box and cause a. settling of the earth over the grave.

My invention relates to a grave cover, and has for its object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and practical grave cover Which will be almost permanent in its nature and of sufficient. strength to support a large load, all as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a sectional grave cover embodying one application of my invention.

Fi 2, a longitudinal section of a grave illustrating how my invention is applied.

Fig. 8, an enlarged perspective of a modilied form lof concrete slab.

Fig. 4, an edge view of a further modified form of slab, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of a modified form of slab. Y

ln the drawings reference character 10 indicates an excavation for a grave; 11, a pit in the bottom of the same, and 12 a ledge formed about the upper edge of the pit. A coffin box 13 containing a coffin 14 is shown in the pit 11, and a cover or lid is provided for the pit. Said cover or lid comprises a pair of end slabs 15 formed of concrete or the like and a plurality of intermediate slabs 16 of similar material. The slabs 15 and 16 may be joined With a ship lap or With overhanging edges, as shovvn in Figs. 1 and 2, or slabs 17 and 18 may be provided Without the overlapping edges, as shovvn in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. The overlapping edges of the slabs tend t-o hold them substantially in i a horizontal plane in edge-to-edge relation.

Each concrete slab is preferably' arched Or is thickest at its central portion and ytapers to its yends in order to insure maximum strength. Each slab is also provided With reinforcing rods 19 and 20. The rods 19of which there are preferably three in number, are preferably arranged longitudinally of the slab, and the rods 20, of .Which I have shown seven, are preferably arranged cross- Wise the rods 19, both sets of rods being uniformly spaced in each blade and pressed down beneath the surface of the concrete before the same becomes set.

The slabs 15 and 16 may be provided With transversely arranged central passages or apertures for the reception of a rod or bolt 21 upon Which is threaded a nut 22, said bolt and nut serving to maintain the slabs in inti- 1 mate contact and thus provide a substantially integral structure for Covering the pit 11. It will be observed that the slabs may be readily placed in position by placing them over the threaded end of the rod `21 and` sliding each successive slab into position against the preceding slab. Obviously, the rod 21 may be omitted, if preferred.

As shown in Fig. 3, contiguous edges of the slabs 17 may be smooth exceptfor the provision of complementarily formed pins 23 and recesses 24 Which cooperate to maintain the slabs in substantially the same plane.

I have shown in Fig. 4 the outer edge of an end slab corresponding yto the end slab 15 of Fig. 1 but with three transverse passages for three rods 21 each of which passages is formed by a tube or pipe 25 embedded in the material Which forms the slab. l have therefore, provided a grave cover Which Will effectively perform the purpose for Which it Was designed.

Various changes may be made in my invention Without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as, for example, I have shovvn in Fig. 5, wherein, instead of the contiguous overlapping and underlapping horizontal surfaces, the overlapping surfaces may be formed at an angle to provide undercut portions, the supporting underlapping undercut portion forming a trough 26 by means of which water will drain to the ends of the slab. I, therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawing, but only as indicated 5 in the accompanying claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

A covering and supporting device adapted l to be applied over a pit in the bottom of an excavated grave for supporting a load of earth with the marginal edges of said cover resting upon earth contiguous to the pit, comprising a plurality of relatively narrow concrete slabs having substantially plane bottom surfaces and arched top surfaces/said slabs being provided with undercut edges over-lapping the edges of adjacent slabs for excluding water and for maintaining the slabs in alinement, said slabs being provided with transverse alined apertures in their thickest. portions and a bolt extending through said apertures and binding the slabs together. In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

f GEORGE I-I. PARKER. 

